Irregular verb
The verb to send
send → sent → sent
A2Meaning: to make something go to someone far away · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they send·he/she/it sends - Past Simple:
sent - Past participle:
sent(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
sending
Conjugation of the verb to send
Present Simple
| I | send |
| You | send |
| He / She / It | sends |
| We | send |
| You (pl.) | send |
| They | send |
Past Simple
| I | sent |
| You | sent |
| He / She / It | sent |
| We | sent |
| You (pl.) | sent |
| They | sent |
All the forms of the verb to send
Present Simple
Full pagesend / sends
“I send emails every day.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are sending
“I am sending a message right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagesent
“I sent her a message yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were sending
“I was sending a message when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has sent
“I have already sent a message.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad sent
“She had already sent a message when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill send
“I will send a message tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to send
“I'm going to send a message this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould send
“I would send a message if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to send
1. Sending a letter, an email or a message
- I sent an email.
- Please send me the file.
2. Sending someone somewhere
Here, send means to tell or arrange for a person to go to a place.
- The company sent her to Paris.
- My parents sent me to summer camp.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Send vs give
Send = the thing travels to someone far away (by post, by email). Give = you put it in someone's hand. I sent a card (by post). I gave a card (in person).
2. I sent to her a message ❌
I sent her a message (person + thing) = I sent a message to her (thing + to + person). Both are correct. But when the person comes first, there is no to.
Going further
Conjugating to send is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of send?+
The Past Simple of send is sent, the same for every person. The past participle is sent too. Send → sent → sent.
Is it send a message or text?+
Both are correct. I sent her a message = I texted her. Send a message works for any kind of message. Text is a modern verb for a message on a phone.
What is the difference between send and give?+
Send means that something travels to a person who is not with you (by post, by email, by phone). Give means that you put it in the person's hand. I sent a letter. I gave her a flower.
Is it send her a gift or send a gift to her?+
There are two patterns, and both work. Send + person + thing: I sent her a gift. Send + thing + to + person: I sent a gift to her.
Is it sent or sended?+
Always sent. Send is irregular, like spend → spent and lend → lent. Its Past Simple is sent, never sended.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/send
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.